[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 102 (Friday, May 29, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25723-25724]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-12567]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare a Draft Supplement No. 2 to the Final 
Environmental Impact Statement for the West Tennessee Tributaries (WTT) 
General Reevaluation

AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

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SUMMARY: The draft supplement no. 2 will be prepared in conjunction 
with a general reevaluation report (GRR) and will supplement the 
``Final Supplement to the Final Environmental Impact Statement, West 
Tennessee Tributaries Project (Obion-Forked Deer River Basin),'' filed 
with the Environmental Protection Agency on February 25, 1983. A 
general reevaluation study will be conducted for the entire WTT project 
area to determine if there is still a federal interest in pursuing a 
flood risk management project and, if so, recommend a plan of 
improvement. The GRR and draft supplement no. 2 to the final 
environmental impact statement (FEIS) will focus on methods that reduce 
flood risks within the Obion and Forked Deer watersheds by restoring 
natural floodplain functions and reducing sedimentation that could 
cause channel blockages.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Michael Thron, telephone (901) 
544-0708, CEMVM-PM-E, 167 N. Main, Room B-202, Memphis, TN 38103, e-
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    1. Proposed Action: The project study consists of determining flood 
risk management solutions in the Obion and Forked Deer watersheds in 
west Tennessee. The project is authorized by Section 203 of the Flood 
Control Act of June 30, 1948 (Pub. L. 80-858, 62 Stat. 1171, 1175, 
1178), and amended and modified by Section 207 of the Rivers and 
Harbors Act of November 7, 1966 (Pub. L. 89-789, 80 Stat. 1405), and 
further amended by Section 3 of the Water Resources Development Act of 
March 7, 1974 (Pub. L. 93-251, 88 Stat. 12, 14) and Section 183 of the 
Water Resources Development Act of October 22, 1976 (Pub. L. 94-587, 90 
Stat. 2917). Construction began in 1961. The initial project 
environmental impact statement (EIS) was filed with the Council on 
Environmental Quality (CEQ) on February 3, 1971. The federal court 
determined in 1973 that the 1971 EIS prepared by the Corps did not meet 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) standards and enjoined the 
Corps from further construction on March 2, 1973. The Corps filed a 
revised EIS with CEQ on July 21, 1975, entitled, ``Final Environmental 
Impact Statement West Tennessee Tributaries Project;'' however, the 
federal court in its decision of January 27, 1978 again determined that 
the FEIS was not sufficient to meet NEPA standards and directed that it 
be supplemented. A final supplement to the FEIS was filed with the 
Environmental Protection Agency on February 25, 1983 (Record of 
Decision signed August 8, 1983), entitled, ``Final Supplement to the 
Final Environmental Impact Statement, West Tennessee Tributaries 
Project.'' The final supplement to the FEIS included the addition of 
certain soil erosion control and timber, fish, and wildlife 
conservation features to the flood control plan. Construction resumed 
in 1985 after the issuance of a consent order (Civil Action Number C-
70-349) stating the Corps was allowed to proceed provided they follow a 
protocol in the acquisition of the 32,000 acres of mitigation lands 
authorized by Section 3 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1974 
(Pub. L. 93-251, 88 Stat. 12, 14). However, in June of 1987, the State 
of Tennessee denied water quality certification for the next item of 
work and construction was again suspended. All attempts to resolve the 
denial were unproductive. By April of 1990, the Corps had acquired 
13,527 acres of mitigation lands for the project. Several demonstration 
projects were pursued between 1992 and 2008. Most notably, a limited 
reevaluation was performed in 1996 for a demonstration project in the 
Middle Fork Forked Deer River and a demonstration project in the Stokes 
Creek watershed. However, the costs of compliance with the consent 
order were too great to pursue the demonstration projects. By letter 
dated December 23, 2008, the State of Tennessee requested that a 
general reevaluation study be conducted for the entire project area to 
determine if there is still a federal interest in pursuing a flood risk 
management project and, if so, recommend a plan of improvement.
    2. Reasonable Alternatives: A wide range of alternatives will be 
examined for the study. Alternatives will focus on methods that control 
sediment entering the Obion and Forked Deer watersheds, restore natural 
floodplain functions, and comply with the consent order while achieving 
the authorized project purpose of flood risk management. Comparisons 
will be made among the alternative plans, including the ``no action'' 
alternative.
    3. The Scoping Process: The purpose of this notice is to advise all 
interested parties of the intent to supplement the ``Final Supplement 
to the Final Environmental Impact Statement, West Tennessee Tributaries 
Project (Obion-Forked Deer River Basin)'' and to solicit comments and 
information concerning the study. A public involvement program has been 
initiated and will be maintained throughout the study to solicit input 
from individuals and interested parties and to identify any concerns or 
significant issues related to the project. This notice is being 
circulated to federal, state, and local environmental resource and 
regulatory agencies; Indian Tribes; non-governmental organizations; and 
the general public. All interested parties are encouraged to 
participate in the scoping process. A public scoping meeting will be 
held on June 23, 2009, 7 p.m., at the Temple Baptist Church, 9105 East 
Van Hook, Milan, Tennessee. It is anticipated that the draft supplement 
no. 2 to the FEIS will be available for public review during the fall 
of 2014. A public meeting will be held during the review period to 
receive comments and address questions concerning the draft report.


[[Page 25724]]


    Dated: May 22, 2009.
Thomas P. Smith,
Colonel, Corps of Engineers, District Engineer, Memphis District.
[FR Doc. E9-12567 Filed 5-28-09; 8:45 am]
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